Osteospermum plant named ‘SAKOST8194’

ABSTRACT

A new  Osteospermum  plant particularly distinguished by having yellow flowers with dark greyed-purple disc florets and a compact and mounding plant habit.

Genus and species: Osteospermum hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKOST8194’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofOsteospermum, botanically known as Osteospermum hybrida, and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘SAKOST8194’. ‘SAKOST8194’ originatedfrom a hybridization of the Osteospermum proprietary breeding line‘205057’ (unpatented) and the Osteospermum proprietary breeding line‘205056’ (unpatented) in Marslev, Denmark. The female parent, ‘205057’has a yellow flower color with an apricot center, and a compact andmounded plant habit. The male parent, ‘205057’, has a yellow-orangeflower color with a dark brown center and semi-erect plant habit.

In May 2006, the two Osteospermum lines ‘205057’ and ‘205056’ werecrossed and seeds were obtained. The seeds were sown and approximately100 plants were grown in pots for evaluation. Out of 100 F₁ lines, plantnumber 37 was selected which had a yellow flower color, dark discflorets, and compact and mounding plant habit.

In February 2007, plant number 37 was vegetatively propagated bycuttings and re-evaluated in an open field and a greenhouse. Plantnumber 37 was given the breeder code number ‘207307’ and the stabilityof the distinct characteristics of this variety was confirmed.

In June 2007, plants from ‘207307’ were evaluated again in pots and inan open field. ‘207307’ was renamed ‘SAKOST8194’ and was found toreproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagationvia vegetative cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Yellow flower color with dark greyed-purple disc florets; and    -   2. A compact and mounding plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form,foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a plant grown four monthsfrom transplant (five months from sticking) into 4-inch pots from rootedcuttings in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the spring of2011. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘SAKOST8194’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions via vegetativecuttings carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on plantsgrown approximately four months from transplant (five months fromsticking) into 4-inch pots under greenhouse conditions in Salinas,Calif. in the winter of 2011. Color references are to The R.H.S. ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th)edition.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Compositae.        -   Botanical.—Osteospermum hybrida.        -   Common.—Osteospermum, Cape Daisy, South African Daisy.        -   Designation.—‘SAKOST8194’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary Osteospermum line ‘205057’            (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—The proprietary Osteospermum line ‘205056’            (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Cuttings will colonize a            2.5 cm diameter by 2.5 cm tall greenhouse tray cell with            peat-based plant media in approximately four weeks. Cuttings            are dipped in a normal dilution (1:9) of DIP 'N GROW, a            liquid rooting concentrate root inducing solution in water.            The trays are misted hourly during rooting.        -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—Rooted cuttings            are transplanted to pots with a 16 cm diameter, one plant            per pot. Peat-based growing media is used. The pots are            watered using a 150 ppm to 200 ppm fertilizer solution using            18-8-18 fertilizer. The soil is allowed to dry between            watering. During the first few weeks after transplanting,            the plants should have evening temperatures around 15° C. to            18° C. for good root growth. When plants reach 7.5 cm to 10            cm in height they are pinched back to 5 to 6 leaves to            promote branching. Spring and summer daytime high            temperatures in Salinas, Calif. where the data was            collected, range from 16° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to bloom from propagation.—Approximately four weeks            when rooted vegetative cuttings are transferred to a 4 inch            diameter pot. Flowering season is all year in the United            States when grown in a greenhouse, when grown outdoors, it            is spring to fall. Vernalization is not required to induce            flowering.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Compact and mounding.        -   Life cycle.—Annual.        -   Form.—Compact and mounding.        -   Height (from soil line to first node).—0.5 cm.        -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—36.0 cm to 38.0            cm.        -   Width.—58.0 cm to 60.0 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   General.—Multiple; circular in cross-section.        -   Stem length (total).—14.0 cm to 15.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Internode length.—4.0 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-green) with RHS 187A (Greyed-purple)            anthocyanin.        -   Pubescence.—Moderate. Color: RHS N155A (White). Shape:            Short, hair-like, fibers.        -   Anthocyanin color.—Slight, RHS 187A (Greyed-purple).-   Branches:    -   -   General.—Circular in cross-section.        -   Number of main branches.—1.        -   Total number of branches.—8.        -   Length.—11.0 cm to 12.0 cm; approximately 1.0 cm from soil            line to first node, 2.0 cm between first and second nodes.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Internode length.—2.0 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-green) with RHS 187A (Greyed-purple)            anthocyanin.        -   Pubescence.—Very slight.        -   Pubescence shape.—Short, hair-like fibers.        -   Pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).        -   Anthocyanin color.—RHS 187A (Greyed-purple).-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Surface (both surfaces).—Dull.        -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Slight, mainly around            edge.        -   Surface pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).        -   Attachment.—Decurrant.        -   Length.—5.5 cm.        -   Width.—1.5 cm.        -   Thickness.—Less than 0.1 cm.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 143A (Green). Lower surface: RHS            143B (Green).        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 144B (Yellow-green).            Lower surface: RHS 144C (Yellow-green).-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number per plant.—24.        -   Type.—Capitulum (head); disc florets are perfect and ray            florets are carpellate.        -   Flowering habit.—Determinate.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence on the plant.—3 to 4 days.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Seed production.—None observed.        -   Diameter.—7.0 cm to 8.0 cm.        -   Depth.—2.0 cm.        -   Ray floret number.—18 to 24 per inflorescence.        -   Disc diameter.—1.2 cm.        -   Disc floret number.—60 to 80 per inflorescence.        -   Peduncle length.—5.0 cm from inflorescence to first node.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Peduncle color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-green) with RHS 187A            (Greyed-purple) anthocyanin.        -   Peduncle texture.—Dull, slight pubescence.        -   Phyllaries.—Arrangement: 21 per inflorescence, free,            arranged symmetrically. Length: 1.2 cm. Width: 0.7 cm. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Entire. Shape: Linear; acute. Color (for both            upper and lower surfaces): RHS 143A (Green).-   Ray florets (ligules):    -   -   Corolla.—One ray per ray floret; only the outer row of            florets are the ray florets.        -   Number of ray florets.—18 to 24 per inflorescence.        -   Length.—3.2 cm.        -   Width.—0.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 6A (Yellow). Lower surface: RHS 6A            (Yellow) with RHS N186C (Greyed-purple) stripes or streaks.        -   Pubescence.—Glabrous.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Color.—Darker than RHS N187A (Greyed-purple).        -   Shape.—Tubular.        -   Apex.—Pointed.        -   Texture.—Dull, pubescent.        -   Size.—Length: 0.6 cm. Width: 0.1 cm.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Ovary.—Superior.        -   Pistil form.—One style with two stigma branches.        -   Pistil length.—0.5 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 187A (Greyed-purple).        -   Style color.—RHS 155A (White).        -   Stamens.—5, fused into a single tube.        -   Anther color.—RHS 187A (Greyed-purple).        -   Pollen color.—RHS 17A (Yellow-orange).        -   Filament color.—RHS 155A (White).-   Disease and insect resistance: No known resistance or    susceptibility.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKOST8194’ is a distinct variety of Osteospermum having yellow coloredflowers with dark disc florets, and a compact and mounding plant habit.‘SAKOST8194’ is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1(color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,4^(th) edition).

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Male Parent Female ParentCharacteristic ‘SAKOST8194’ ‘205056’ ‘205057’ Ray floret (ligule) RHS 6A(Yellow) Yellow-orange Yellow color, upper surface Plant growth Compactand Semi-erect Compact and habit mounding mounding Flower center Darkerthan RHS Dark brown Apricot color N187A (Greyed- purple)

‘SAKOST8194’ is a distinct variety of Osteospermum having yellow coloredflowers with dark disc florets, and a compact and mounding plant habit.‘SAKOST8194’ is most similar to the Osteospermum plant named‘Saksisgolye’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,602). Differences between the twovarieties are described in Table 2 (color references are to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition).

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKOST8194’‘Saksisgolye’ Ray floret (ligule) RHS 6A (Yellow) RHS 12C (Yellow) withslight color, upper surface: streaking of RHS 187C (Greyed-purple) andRHS 187C (Greyed-purple) at the tip Ray floret (ligule) RHS 6A (Yellow)RHS 187C (Greyed-Purple) color, lower surface: with RHS N186C with RHS12B (Yellow) streaks (Greyed-Purple) and RHS 187A (Greyed-Purple)stripes or streaks at the tip Plant habit Compact and Very compact andbranching mounded

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Osteospermum plant as shownand described herein.